A Day of Rest

While I was initially inclined to take the day off and not write a blog today, some of my closest followers encouraged me to complete a blog before the day was over. At 11:30pm (CDT), here I am blogging my daily blog.

Once upon a time, Sunday was a day of rest. Families spent the day together, stores and service stations were closed. Grocery shopping for your big Sunday dinner had to completed in advance. If you wanted to take a road trip, you needed to make sure that your gas tank was filled by closing time on Saturday night. One of the few remnants of "blue laws" is on the books in North Dakota where even the 24-hour Wal*Mart closes from 12:00 midnight until 12:00 noon on Sundays.

Times change and Sunday has become just another day to shop, get the laundry done and catch up on your sleep. Many of us rarely take time out of our lives to stop and enjoy the best that life has to offer. Some of us may even long for a simpler time when it was possible to set aside a day for family and rest. Isn't it strange that technology intended to make our lives easier has actually brought about a busier lifestyle that keeps us running seven days a week?

Despite our station in life - where we live and what we do for a living, unless we make a conscious effort to take time our for ourselves, we run a great risk. We risk never really knowing ourselves. What makes us who we are - the things we enjoy, what makes us happy, our hopes and goals for the future. In the end, what legacy do we want to leave behind as a testimony to living?

In the midst of current social debate, there are a few who would try to convince the world of the differences that exist between groups of people. However, in the society in which I live, I am unable to clearly identify instances which make me different from my neighbors. Everyone shares similar struggles, we all have hopes and fears for the future, the same potential for serious health concerns affects all of us equally. If ever there was a time for rest needed, it would be in the year 2009.

~ DB Turnmire